


A night like many others

by Ohsoprecious



Series: Vexeris Trevelyan [17]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Acceptance, Implied/Referenced Homophobia, M/M, No Trespasser DLC, Post-Dragon Age: Inquisition, Slavery, Tevinter Imperium (Dragon Age), Unexpected Visitors
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-07
Updated: 2021-03-06
Packaged: 2021-03-12 03:54:03
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 12,871
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29878671
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ohsoprecious/pseuds/Ohsoprecious
Summary: Dorian gets a surprise visit.
Relationships: Dorian Pavus/Male Trevelyan, Male Inquisitor/Dorian Pavus
Series: Vexeris Trevelyan [17]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/318137
Kudos: 5





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> These stories were meant to be part of a more overarching storyline, but have been sitting on my laptop for years, unable to be finished. Maybe one day I'll manage to, but for now I'll release what is mostly complete. Hope you guys enjoy them anyway. :)

He couldn't believe he'd done this. Never had he believed this was a real possibility.  
He'd certainly dreamed about it, fantasized about it.  
But never had he imagined it reality.  
If he hadn't been such an experienced mage, he might have thought he was in the Fade.

He didn't know who was more surprised. Him or his father. Or the servant that had answered the door, nearly getting trampled by an angry woman in heavy armor, a giggling elven woman with a bow and the Inquisitor himself, the most powerful man in all of Thedas, all three soaked to the bone from the rain storm that had started in the evening.

"I thought Tevinter was supposed to be warm and sunny. If I'd known I'd have stayed on the Storm Coast," he heard Cassandra say, nearly dropping the papers he was carrying, shock at the familiar voice.

"Shite! I got water in my arrows! Piss poor weather! Why are we here again?"

"Because you both insisted. I was quite happy with traveling alone," he heard Vexeris Trevelyan say, just as he was rounding up the corner, not registering the fact he was practically running.

Later he would lie. He most definitely did not squeak in surprise when he saw him. And he did not run up to him, just as he did not hug him with all his strength. And he most definitely did not kiss him in front of everyone, like his life depended on it.  
Later he even denied the few tears he had let escape. Maker, he'd missed him, he'd missed him so much. Sometimes he felt like he couldn't breathe, thinking about him, about what he was doing, what he was fighting, all without Dorian.

Six months apart and he loved him, as intensely as the first day.

"Hello Dori," he said, smiling, kissing him, not letting go in the slightest, not even bothering to acknowledge the arrival of Magister Pavus, in his night clothes.

He laughed at the name, no matter how much he found it irritating and kissed him again, in front of his father, who looked like he was about to fall over in shock. Not that he cared in the slightest at the moment. There could be all of Corypheus's compatriots outside the door and he wouldn't have cared.

"What are you doing here?"

"Isn't it obvious?"

"Oi! You two smooch later! I'm wet and hungry! And I want a bed!"

Vexeris groaned, his grip on Dorian slipping only just.

"You should just be grateful we're keeping this reunion clothes not optional."

"Ewww. I don't need to see you two comparing sticks!"

"Sera! Maker, shut up. It's good to see you, Dorian," intervened the seeker.

Dorian reluctantly let the man go, stepping away just enough. It was still too close to be anything but intimate, but they weren't pawing each other.

"It's good to see you, Cassandra. Sera," he said, politely. Sera snorted, crossing her arms, her eyes resting on the older man looking at them like one would an abomination.

"Magister Pavus! So sorry about barging in your house at this hour. We had a....delay."

"Right," said the elf, chuckling. Dorian knew that laugh. She'd done something.

"We wanted to wait until tomorrow, but the rain caught us unprepared."

He was being surprisingly courteous, for someone that normally cussed and swore like a commoner. Was he doing it for Dorian's benefit or had Josephine been victorious in her quest?  
No, highly unlikely. His hair was even longer that it was before, still sticking out in every direction possible. His armor was dirty and wet, but at least that, was to be expected.

"Inquisitor. I...."

His father was at a loss of words. He stood there gaping, highly unusual for a member of the Magisterium. After all what was the protocol for receiving one of the most influential people on Thedas, in your house in the middle of the night, after he'd stuck his tongue down your son's throat?

"Inquisitor, I'd heard rumors of a visit, but as I understood it, it's supposed to be in a few weeks."

He had? And he didn't mention it, not even in passing? And why didn't Vex say anything either?

"I wanted to surprise my boyfriend," came the immediate answer, answering the question Dorian hadn't voiced. His father was decidedly uncomfortable, but thankfully wasn't commenting. Not that he could. This wasn't his son he was talking to, but the leader of the most powerful organization in Thedas, home to untold secrets, an army to rival any kingdom and one of the most influential trading centers. Savior of the world. Some people even said he was the second coming of Andraste herself.

"What are you doing here, amatus?" the mage said, ignoring his father flinch at the word.

Vex turned back to him, smiling broadly.

"Well, after careful deliberation and planning, by which, of course, I mean I tried to outdrink Bull..."

"Of course," he said, acid dripping. Maker, he'd never gotten over the not so subtle invitations Bull threw towards Trevelyan. And he hadn't forgotten what happened the last time he'd tried to outdrink the massive qunari. Bull had claimed he was drunk as well, but that kiss had still earned him a weak fireball to the chest.

"I decided to see what all your fuss about Tevinter is. Since you've spent all our trips complaining, I simply had to come see this marvel of climate. And so far, I'm not pleased," he said, shaking his hand dramatically to let a few drops fall.

"Vex...."

"Oh fine. The Archon has invited me and Josephine was hounding me about it. But, there are a few rifts in Tevinter, so I thought why not come pick up my favorite mage?"

"Vex...."

"Maker....a dog with a bone, I swear....I missed you and Josie was being annoying....and my brothers were coming to visit."

"And there it is," he said, triumphant.

"So, can we impose? Or do I have to lecture Sera again on the meaning of, at least, acting civil?"

He looked at him flabbergasted. He wasn't seriously asking if Dorian was going to throw them out, was he? Maker, if he even thought he was going to get a wink of sleep tonight.....

Three years ago he wouldn't have dreamed of acting like this. Uncaring of who was looking. But two years with Trevelyan, who regularly did such things, even in front of the Empress of Orlais, had him become used to open affection and he'd lost the ability to care what anyone thought.

"Of course, Inquisitor, it would be an honor. Have three guest rooms prepared," his father said, motioning to the still frozen male elf at his side.

"Ah, two rooms only, Father."

Dorian looked him right in the eyes, daring him to say something. He'd only returned to this house, because his father had sworn he'd drop the issue of his sexual preferences. He'd even heard him and his mother talk about trying for a new child, a new heir to continue the line, despite their age. He'd thought they'd surrendered to their son's wishes, but this was their trial by fire.

Halward Pavus only looked at him, mixed emotions passing on his face, before he inclined his head and nodded.

So now, after a warm bath, a quick dinner and a very thorough reunion, Dorian was watching the man he loved sleep next to him, his hand firmly grasping his while he snored lightly, still not quite believing he was here, in Tevinter, in his room, in his bed, where he'd never taken a previous lover before.


	2. Chapter 2

He was afraid. Afraid of opening his eyes. Of waking up and finding this had all been a dream.  
That Vexeris didn't in fact travel hundreds of miles just to see him, to be with him, because he missed Dorian just as much as the mage missed him.

Or worse, the familiar aches of his body, meant he'd spent the night with someone, someone that wasn't Vexeris. That he'd had too much to drink, like it happened, and in a lapse of judgment he'd done the unthinkable. Dorian knew he had a few Inquisition spies shadowing him, protecting him at all times, probably one even in his father's house. And they reported to Vex.

Dorian slowly opened his eyes, holding his breath, tension breaking only when he saw red messy long hair, a stubble and light azure eyes looking at the ceiling above him. He exhaled, relief and happiness flooding him. Maker, he was here, he was really here.  
His hand twitched, realizing he'd been holding the other man's hand all night, embarrassment filling him. But Vexeris moved, now looking at him, smiling widely and Dorian forgot everything else.

"Good morning."

Dorian laughed softly. Judging by the temperature in the room, it was well past midday. Though he couldn't really tell with the heavy curtains drawn.

"I still can't believe you're here."

"I have that effect on people. Though they're usually not as glad to see me as you."

"Why didn't you tell me, you were coming? I would've...."

"I'm supposed to be incognito, love. If I warned you, if you suddenly cleared your schedule, you'd have tipped off every spy in Tevinter."

"You're going to be recognized anyway, the minute you exit this house."

"Oh? Here I was entertaining the idea of chaining you to the bed and catch up on six months worth of sex."

"Not that the idea isn't.... without its potential, but why I am the one being chained, amatus? This is my bed, my rules."

"You certainly didn't protest last night," he said, slowly moving on top of him.

He kissed him, slowly, almost chaste, a far cry from what they were used to, but Maker if it didn't feel no less intense. Slow, agonizingly slow, but perfect as Dorian snaked his arms around his back, his hands on the rogue's shoulder blades, pulling him down, even as Vexeris tried not to crush him, while still caressing his cheeks with his thumb.

Dorian smiled dreamily when he pulled back, his lips still slightly swollen from the night before, his body aching, but he wouldn't trade this for the world.

"Maker, Dorian, do you have any idea how much I've missed you?" he said, his gaze turning intense, filled with love and adoration, longing. Once Dorian would have felt uncomfortable under such a stare, it was too much, too alien, surely it couldn't be real. But now, he knew that the same foolish syrupy look was on his own face as well.

"I might have an idea," he said, pressing a kiss on his forehead, forcing him to lay down on him, his head just below his, his mane tickling his jaw and neck. Dorian closed his eyes, revelling in the sensation of having his lover against him, above him.

It takes them a while before they speak again. They are silent, in their own thoughts, but Dorian doesn't let him move and Vexeris doesn't attempt to, the both of them content to simply be in each other's arms, to share their warmth, to be _them_ again.

"I haven't asked in a while. How goes your quest? Did you make Tevinter flip on its ass already?" he asks, carefully, pressing small kisses between breaths, on the parts of him he can reach in his position.

Dorian exhales, shifting his gaze from the top of his lover's head to the ceiling. He isn't sure what to tell him. He'd made some progress, more than he thought, but it still wasn't enough to be anything worth noting, to be something he could be proud of, claim he'd accomplished. No new laws had been written, no ancient dogma had been torn down. In truth, nothing had yet changed. The most he'd been able to accomplish was a stirring. More people in high circles that shared his ideals had come out of hiding, forming a current among the magisters. The Magisterium was talking about reform, but he'd heard them talk about reform before.

"Dorian?"

He looked down, finding himself staring into azure eyes, lighter than what he'd thought possible, the color of the sky, filled with concern. He combed his hand through his hair, a habit he'd picked up under the pretense he wanted to try and tame his unruly mane. He just enjoyed doing it now, the strands soft and pliant, despite their apparent shabbiness.

"Some progress has been made. More than I hoped, but less than I wanted."

He laughed softly, but there was no trace of mirth in his voice.

"That doesn't exactly give me much of an answer, Dorian."

"If only Tevinter problems could be solved by crashing one of their parties and preventing a murder, amatus."

"Admittedly that would be simpler," he said, coming back to rest his head on his chest, his finger making small circles on Dorian.

"How long can you stay?"

The question had been hounding him since he woke up and realized it hadn't been a dream after all. He wasn't sure he wanted an answer. He should've been happy enjoying whatever limited time they could spend together, before Vexeris had to return south, but his curiosity had gotten the better of him. As per usual, he thought.  
So he asked, a lump in his throat, having to speak the words slowly, carefully, to hide his feelings, to hide the fact that the mere thought of him leaving was breaking him all over again.

"I have a meeting with the Archon in a little over two weeks. Apparently there are a few rifts around Minrathous and he said he'd consider it a personal favor if I came and closed them. He probably just wants to see my mark working with his own eyes, but if it improves relations between the North and the South, I'll take it. Cullen has a grand march all planned out, making my arrival into the capital a spectacle, but I don't actually have to be there for that, thankfully."

Dorian laughed, barely more than a chuckle, picturing the Commander planning every detail of the Inquisitor's entourage. He was such a control freak. It wouldn't surprise him if he'd polished and shined the armors of the guards himself.

"Amatus, how do you not have to be present for your own grand march?"

"Well, I....since I'm here, and not actually in Skyhold, we needed someone to pose as me, during the official journey to Tevinter. So my brother stepped him. Given our similarities I doubt anyone will recognize the difference."

Dorian's brow raised, almost imperceptibly. He'd met his brothers. Once, true, but still. Neither of them looked like Vexeris. They were too prim, too proper, always dressed finely, while their youngest sibling put his boots on the tavern table and drank dwarven ale, daring Sera on what to do on her next prank.

"Most don't exactly know what I look like, Dori. Red hair is the most anyone knows. And besides, between Maxwell and I, who do you think paints the more proper picture?"

Not him, he thought. But that was the reason everyone gravitated towards him.

Most people joined the Inquisition when they heard about their deeds, what they'd done. From hunting down a few rams so refugees could eat, to storming Adamant to stop the Wardens from dooming themselves. They joined because they wanted to help save the world, to be there when a semblance of calm was restored.

But they stayed because of him. Because of how he was. Because he ran Skyhold, yes like a military stronghold, but with fairness. Because everyone was treated the same, at least when it came to him, be it elf, mage, dwarf or qunari. And while he wasn't blind to the prejudice and misgivings, when something happened, his judgment was fair. He made sure everyone knew, he would've chosen the same, whatever the race, gender or profession.

But it wasn't just how he ran things. It was how he treated everyone. From the advisors to the lowest servant, everyone was important. Dorian distinctly remembers the weeks spent in a bog filled with plague and undead, simply because a dozen soldiers had been captured. A leader would have ignored it. Any other head of an organization, even the fledgling Inquisition, would have let them die. The sacrifice of war, they'd have called it. Not him. No, Vexeris had dragged him, Bull and Varric on a two week stay in one of the smelliest, wettest, most disgusting places he'd ever imagined to rescue eleven of his soldiers.  
The people joined the Inquisition because of what it did, but they stayed because of what it was.

"Maybe not proper, but.....proper is overrated."

The rogue gave him a warm smile, before clearing his throat, a shadow of insecurity passing through him.

"I was thinking....it's a bit dull, fighting demons, closing rifts, without anyone that makes them explode. Could you, ah.....come along?"

Dorian frowned. Something wasn't adding up.

"Can't Vivienne help with that? Not that....of course I'll come, amatus. But, where's....."

"I didn't kick her out," he said defensively. He'd never seen eye to eye with Vivienne. They'd agreed on some points, but they were far too few and scarce to build something of a rapport. They tolerated each other, at the best of times. Him, because she was still a very powerful mage, one he begrudgingly respected, even with all their differences and her, because being part of the Inquisition would still gain her, in the long run.

But Leliana was now Divine. Something she'd never predicted. And with Leliana on the Sunburst Throne, mages in the south had been declared free of the Circles. She'd lost her power base. Knowing her, she could probably still weasel her way to the Empress's side, but so far, he'd heard no such thing.

"It's just.....I didn't realize how much I relied on your magic, until I tried bringing her along. Even Solas was....."

He stops, swallowing. Solas has been a sore subject. The elf left, without a word, moments after Corypheus was defeated. Leliana had found out later, that the personal history he'd revealed, even as little as it was, had been a lie.  
Vexeris greatly admired the elf. Dorian used to be a little jealous at first, of the hours the two could spend together. Solas loved to explain, to teach and Vexeris already had a more in depth knowledge of magic than most people who weren't mages. A knowledge that had only grown. Not only that, they talked about history. About events the elf had seen in the fade.  
His disappearance had left too many questions. And Vexeris still felt somewhat betrayed.

"Anyway, I don't like how her barrier feels."

Dorian was speechless. Stunned.

"You....you never told me you can feel the difference between....is it only barriers? When it's on you?"

"No," he said, raising his head, now frowning at Dorian's reaction," it's just clearer with barriers."

"How...how do I feel to you?"

"At first? Hot. Not to the point of being painful, but definitely too hot for my liking. It was softer, later. After we kissed for the first time, it started to feel like being enveloped in a cocoon. Warm and cozy. Protective."

"And....the others?" he whispered, not trusting his voice. The intensity of his gaze.....he'd spent weeks resisting, wishing, desperate for just one more day, one more hour, before they'd inevitably end up in bed together and all the little attentions Vexeris poured on him every day disappeared, before he was left with a broken heart and the regret of having hoped, yet again, for something he knew simply couldn't exist.

"Vivienne is....she's like ice. Cold. But there's always something brewing underneath. I've fought with her only a couple of times so I can't exactly tell if there's been some kind of change. Solas was harsh. His barrier felt like he was surrounding my skin with stones, weighing me down. It changed later on. I think I started to notice the change when we went to the Dales for the first time. He was gentler, more careful than before. Still rocks, but laid on me not thrown."

"You realize you shouldn't be able to tell the difference, right? And in this detail too. Is it the mark? Have you ever told Solas about this?"

"No,....my old instructor. He told me I have some latent magical ability. Too weak to be carted off by the Templars, but it makes me sensitive to magic. That's actually why my parents employed a Tevinter as one of my instructors. Even if they didn't know he was a mage."

"How come you never told me any of this?"

"You didn't ask?" he cooed, making his best impression of an innocent smile. But Dorian only narrowed his expression, not mellowing.

"It never came up. I was far too busy trying to get into your pants. And after....well I thought we would have time, after Corypheus was dealt with."

Guild washed through him. He was the one that left. But this...this was something he needed to do. He loved his country and if he, at least didn't try.....  
But this was....  
His arm tensed around the small of Trevelyan's back.  
Vexeris, _his_ Vex, had promised he'd wait. For him. _However long it takes you to come home_ , he'd said.  
He'd shot him down when he offered to accompany him, in whatever fashion he wanted him to.  
As an ally, a friend, a lover. Even a simple bed warmer. Though that one had been a joke.  
Sometimes, in the dead of night, Dorian regretted that choice.  
Because for how long was he really going to keep that promise?  
And he wanted to. He wanted nothing more, than to come home. To stop the nightmares, the gut clenching fear, of letting _him_ slip through his fingers, gone, a simple name, on a list of past heartbreaks.  
But he needed to do this. For Tevinter and for him. He needed to prove to himself and to the world, he could do something on his own two feet. That he was not just a decoration at the Inquisitor's arm. That not only was he worthy of him, but he deserved to be there. That he belonged there.

He'd tried telling Vexeris that. But the man had dismissed it, saying he was being absurd. That he was amazing enough already, he didn't need to prove anything, to him or anyone else.  
That fighting at his side, keeping Vexeris afloat was enough. That he'd fought tooth and nail, just like anyone else. That after going with the Inquisitor of practically every mission, from the most mundane to the most important ones, no one doubted his importance.

"I know what you're thinking, Dorian. Don't worry. We're both still young enough. We will have years to get on each other's nerves."

_If you don't get eaten or killed, before that._

Like the last Inquisitor. The fate of Ameridan had haunted his dreams more than once. Forgotten, alone, his sacrifice warped, changed by those who made him into something he was not.  
An elf and a mage, both very uncomfortable details, when you want to oppress those same people.  
And his lover, his elven mage, a dreamer, died, desperately trying to reach her love. Fighting to the last of her breath, letting herself be consumed, rather than stop trying to save him.  
They'd never talked about it. Not of the similarities between them.  
Not on how Vexeris too often sent him ahead, out of the fade, just as he did at the temple of Mythal.  
Just as Ameridan had sent Talana away, because she was hurt. Always protecting.  
Or Dorian, who chose to cast his barrier on Vexeris before himself, always on him before himself. How he drained his mana, even when he needed it to defend himself, to heal, to defend the Inquisitor.  
No, they'd never talked about this. They both knew it could be them.


	3. Chapter 3

Eventually they got out of the room. Despite Dorian protests, Vexeris dressed in his armor, his dual twin daggers firmly strapped to his back.  
He hardly needed to defend himself to eat breakfast, did he? Or lunch, most likely.  
But he should've expected it. Even in Skyhold he never went anywhere without a weapon. At first he'd kept the long daggers. Then he'd started concealing smaller knives. But still, always armed.  
He'd often joked how people who supported the Circles always said that the problem was a mage couldn't put his sword down, while normal people could. Yet he couldn't. He even slept with at least two daggers within reach. Cullen nearly had a stoke when Trevelyan asked him, if he should be in a Circle, since he couldn't put his weapon down.  
Cassandra had not been amused.

He stopped mid stride, when Dorian realized that his mother was in the dining hall, a book in her hands and a cup of tea still smoking. He'd never spoken about her. Not to the Inquisitor. It had always been about his father, his prejudices, his inability to accept his son's refusal to marry. But he'd never told Vexeris about Aquinea Pavus, wife of a magister, an arranged marriage, with the both of them hating each other, even going as far as to have their own half of the estate, apart from a few communal areas. Once a month they shared a bed. For appearances, of course. Maker forbid they went against the status quo of Tevinter nobility.  
So his lover had, in fact, no idea what to expect from the woman. And given his experience with his own mother, it was no small wonder that he assumed she was exactly like Halward Pavus and gave her a frosty greeting, coupled with a suspicious look.

"I'm honored Inquisitor Trevelyan. My son speaks very highly of you, when he can be bothered to talk about the Inquisition."

A not so subtle reprimand, one he'd heard before. Unlike his father, his mother had been most curious about what he'd done for the two years and a half he'd been in Orlais.

"I'm sure my friends could say, I do the exact same thing when I talk about him, my lady."

His words were amicable enough, but Dorian knew, as a rule, he tended not to trust older women. A consequence of his mother's less than kind treatment of him.

"Have you eaten today? I'm given to understand you traveled a long time to get here and slept through breakfast."

 _We weren't sleeping_. Now that would have been funny to say out loud. If only to see her reaction. While she condemned her husband for even considering the blood ritual, even going as far as threatening to bring the issue in front of the Magisterium if he even thought of raising his hands on her son again, she wasn't satisfied with his choices either. His father was more worried about appearances, duty and heirs, however she had problems with the idea itself, of men laying with their own gender. She hadn't gone as far as openly declaring it a sin in the eyes of the Maker, but the idea disgusted her.

"Yes, I apologize for that. It was admittedly a very long journey."

"It is of no matter, my lord. I shall tell the kitchen staff to bring something for you both."

Dorian frowned. Aquinea Pavus actually going to the kitchens? To tell the servants to cook something? And that something wasn't even for her?  
She was up to something. And he knew he wouldn't like it.

The thought of what his mother was up to was ruining his enjoyment of having the Inquisitor by his side again. They'd opted to stay indoors for the day, Vexeris still somewhat tired from traveling, having slept very little during the night. And since Dorian had work to do, letters to write, carefully laying his groundwork, they both spent their time in the library.  
It seemed silly, having his lover back and having him reading a book, while he worked.  
But it was reminiscent of Skyhold, of quiet hours in their quarters, even with their positions reversed. And it wouldn't do, if someone thought he had better things to do, than lead this fledgling current of change that was developing in the Imperium.

If he could manage to concentrate, that is. His father was nowhere to be seen, as were Cassandra and Sera, he realized after several hours. But his mother occasionally poked her head into the room, asking if they needed anything, being uncharacteristically accommodating, especially considering she was well aware they were sharing a bed and her distaste for it.

"I'll be right back, amatus," he said, after burning his seventh failed attempt to write a decent letter. His mind kept wandering to his mother's behavior. Years of Tevinter high society engagements had taught him better than to ignore such an odd behavior, even from his own family. Last time, it had saved him from a blood ritual meant to change his sexuality.

He found his mother in her study, tending to her affairs. She raised her gaze, greeting him with a smile.

"Mother. Let's cut to chase, shall we? What are you up to?"

The woman gave a meaningful look towards the book in her hands, but Dorian scowled at her. He was long past pretending. Especially where Vexeris Trevelyan was involved.

"I am doing nothing, except trying to make the Inquisitor feel welcome, as is my duty, since your father won't. The stubborn mule has eclipsed himself in his own study, instead of attending to his guests."

"Mother, don't play games with me. Never in my whole life have you been this attentive, not with me, not with father and especially not with guests."

"Perhaps I am simply curious. If even half of the rumors about him are true, he is a most interesting figure."

"You could just ask me, instead of hovering around him. Truly, mother, it's most unbecoming."

Aquinea Pavus narrowed her eyes and Dorian had the sudden feeling of being ten years old again, guilty of setting fire to her favorite coffee table.

"I have asked, Dorian. Numerous times."

"I apologize. That was unworthy of me. The Inquisition has a lot of secrets, mother. And traveling with them has given me insight on a few. I find myself...unsure on what I can recount safely."

She studied him for a long moment, her eyes hard. He was briefly reminded of Leliana and her frosty looks.

"I wonder about this unwavering loyalty you seem to have for the Inquisition, sometimes. But, at any rate, since you're so determined, I shall tell you. I am well aware Inquisitor Trevelyan's presence here is a secret. But it won't stay that way for long. And despite being a foreign power, it has influence even here. The Archon himself, requesting someone's presence? As a personal favor? Imagine what will happen, when it becomes known he was a guest here, in this house. I simply wish to keep him here, for as long as possible. Any other guest would have been affronted by Halward's lack of hospitality and left."

"I see."

Dorian was seething. Of course that was it. How could he be so stupid? He'd thought the problem was him, his presence here, but no. His mother was using him. The Inquisitor's presence here could be used, so long as he was here. Having people grovel at her feet, asking to meet him, even just a glimpse at the man who defeated Corypheus and changed the south.

"Why are you so surprised, son? Surely you didn't think you were the only one who would use him."

He gritted his teeth, keeping himself from shouting, from yelling that he did not use him. In fact he'd gone to painstaking lengths to avoid that.

"I never used him, mother," he said instead, using every ounce of self control he had to sound calm. But his mother wasn't fooled.

"My dear, of course you do. It is how the world works. In fact I am proud of you for that. You managed to thrive, even using your affliction as an asset. Truly, well played, Dorian."

Once he would've been overjoyed to hear such a thing from either of his parents. But once was a long time ago, a different Dorian.

"It is not an _affliction_ , mother. And be that as it may, I did not use Vexeris. I bled and fought beside him for two years, even after Corypheus. Never in all that time have I asked for special treatment."

"It may be what you think, Dorian. But this is how the world works and even your precious....Trevelyan, isn't immune. After all he's using you as well. And you're letting him, quite happily, if the noises my servants heard last night are to be any indication."

He blushed, startled by her words. Vex was, by his very nature, unrestrained. And it showed into the bedroom too, where he rarely made an attempt to muffle himself.

"He's not using me. In fact it would've done him a lot of good, if he'd stayed away."

"I don't doubt it. Southerners always do seem to pin every ail of this world on us. Real or otherwise. But, he is using you, my dear. I have a few friends in Orlais, as you well know. Rumors of new potential lovers have been solidifying as of late. A qunari, as I understand it. Dreadful thing. But I'm sure you knew that."

"You should know better than to believe baseless gossip, mother."

"And yet your face tells me you know exactly who it is and that it is a possibility."

"No. It is not. He......"

He had to stop, bile raising in his throat. The thought, the mere idea was....no, he wouldn't. Vex loved him. He loved _him_. And even if.....even if he'd wanted a release....sex without meaning, he would have told him. Right?

Bull was more than willing. He made it no secret and Vex was well aware. But....he'd promised. He promised he'd wait for him. Years, he'd promised him _years_.

He bit back a sob, cringing at the thought of breaking down, especially in front of his mother and made a hasty exit.

He went back to the library, were Trevelyan was still quietly reading his book, sprawled on the couch.

Dorian hesitated, his hand curled into a fist, his eyes hovering over the body he'd held like a lifeline mere hours ago.

He wouldn't, would he? He considered not asking. Not knowing. Because....Because he still said he loved him. And Vex was....even if it was true...Vex was the most considerate, affectionate lover he'd ever had. They'd had years together. Just them.  
Perhaps he could...he could endure it, knowing there was someone else, as long as it wasn't serious. As long as it was just sex, a release from all the burdens of his job. As long as Vex still loved him. Still belonged to him.

"Dorian? I know I'm handsome, but you're staring, love."

Yes, perhaps he could....no, no he couldn't.....he'd flipped out when Bull had kissed him in a drunken haze. He couldn't.

"How's Bull?" he asked, instead of what he really wanted to know. _Are you sleeping with Iron Bull?_

"He's probably somewhere in Ferelden. He's scouting ahead of the entourage Cullen has prepared. Why?"

"How, Vex. Not where."

Vexeris frowned, putting his book down and walked towards him, his face a mixture of concern and doubt.

"He's fine, I guess. What brought this on? You've been...tense since this morning. Is something wrong?"

"Are you sleeping with him?" he blurted out. He meant to sound angry, but all he got was the pathetic whimper of a boy at his first love, terrified of the answer.

His jaw slackened in surprise, shock clear on his face. Was it because of discovery?

"No! Maker, Dorian. Why would I....no! I only want you. I thought we'd....I thought I made that clear."

"You....you can tell me if you did. I would....I would understand. Six months is a long time, especially with all the stress you get."

"No! I haven't.....Maker Dorian, who even told you about this?"

"There have been rumors," he said, trying to look anywhere but him.

"You should know better than to believe rumors. Half of them still pegged me with Cassandra, even after I kissed you at the Winter Palace. Maker, Dorian. I would never betray you. I love you."

"Rumors don't birth out of nothing. You flirted with Cassandra."

"Only to goad her. And I flirted with Bull too."

He realized his misstep, but he fought through it, getting a hold of Dorian's hands.

"It's true," he said, as Dorian stopped breathing," there have been rumors. I've heard them as well, and if I heard them...well, we both know how little I pay attention to orlesian gossip. I think I even know where they stem from. I didn't want to tell you, but I'd rather have you worried for my safety than my....faithfulness."

"Safety? What do you mean?"

He was always worried about his safety. Always. The man took on high dragons with the same nonchalant behavior as he took on a walk to the dinner table.

"Since you left, there have been...attempts. On my life."

"I'm fairly sure there were attempts even before that, Vex."

"Yes, but....those where always outside Skyhold. And definitely not in my bedroom."

His blood ran cold. He wasn't stupid. He realized the implications. Without Leliana, the Inquisition's spy network had taken a significant hit. With the newly crowned Divine still struggling to pick a proper replacement, she was doing two demanding jobs at once and most of the time, from outside Skyhold. Before, any and all attempts to assassinate the Inquisitor had been outside the fortress. Between Leliana and the alliance with her former companion Zevran, Guildmaster of the Crows, most attempts died before they ever truly had the opportunity.  
But with Leliana gone, security had softened in Skyhold.  
Once, only once, someone managed to get inside the Inquisitor's bedroom, in the middle of the night, to kill him. But he'd found a nasty surprise.  
Wards. A lot of them. Because Dorian had cut himself more than once with the dagger Vex kept under the pillow, so he'd forced him to place it elsewhere. In return he'd agreed to place wards, every time they went to bed. It was a secret. Something only the two of them knew.  
And it had saved Vexeris's life.

But he wasn't there anymore, was he? The Inquisitor was now alone, in his quarters. With only two small daggers to defend the most influential man in all of Thedas.  
What was an impossibility before, had become quite the palatable opportunity.

"What does Bull.....why didn't you tell me?!"

"Delayed reaction. Now I know I'm in trouble," he smirked, attempting to joke, but Dorian wasn't having it.

"Bull.....Cullen was adamant. It was either him or a full guard. I chose Bull. If I have to be treated like I'm not capable defending myself, at least I'll have one of my friends guarding me. Preferably the one who doesn't run in, sword swinging when I curse for a paper cut. And seeing as he practically follows me everywhere, the nobles started to talk. But I assure you, I have not touched him. Nor him me. Or well, he has but only because....I don't recommend a marble bathtub. Hurt like a bitch and slippery as hell."

"I....that actually happened? Please tell me you weren't naked."

"I don't know about you, love, but I don't bathe in my small-clothes. Don't worry, I threatened to throw him one of my tempest flasks for leering instead of helping me. And I didn't tell you because.....I didn't want you to worry. And I knew you'd feel responsible. I figured you had enough to worry about, dodging assassination on your own."

"There haven't been...."

He frowned. It was odd. Anyone else would've already been offed. And since they couldn't do it through official means, thanks to his well known ties to the Inquisition and its leader, they had to go the unofficial route.

"Ah. It seems my spies have been more effective here, than at home."

"Then perhaps you should call some of them back, since they're so efficient."

He harrumphed, shaking his head.

"No. I can handle assassins. I have an entire fortress and a big angry qunari to protect me. I need you to be as safe as possible."

"Vex..."

"Don't Vex me. I won't sway from this. Not for all the puppy eyes and frowny faces in the world. Frankly I should be the angry one. I can't believe you thought I would actually....I mean even forgetting the betrayal part, Bull? Really?"

"It's not like he would say no."

"Yes he would. You give him too little credit, love. He may like me, but that doesn't mean he would knowingly sleep with a taken man. Besides, from what the servants say, sex with Bull most often involve restraints and a degree of pain. While I don't care what he does or doesn't do in his own bed....you know how I feel about such things."

Yes, he knew. He knew quite well. It still made him boil with rage, along with the temptation to travel to Ostwick and burn Vexeris's mother alive.

"Besides, love, in some ways, it's better that you've been away from Skyhold."

"Why is that? I thought you enjoyed my company."

He'd meant it with mirth, but he was still too raw, too shaken. So he squeezed Vex's hands even tighter and looked him in the eyes.

"Hawke is back. I offered him a place to stay, since....well, I'm not sure he'll ever be ready to go back to Kirkwall. And Varric is still in Skyhold so.....anyway his lover's with him, this time. Quite the character."

"The elf? The....." he bit back his words. He'd read the Tale of the Champion. He knew Fenris's story. He doubted an escaped slave from Tevinter would look kindly on him. And if the book was to be believed, unkind would be a gross understatement.

"I've seen the lyrium markings. They're....horrible and beautiful at the same time. And well....Fenris is.... I will admit he terrifies me."

"You? The one who told Corypheus he could stick his orb up his ass and go fuck himself? To his face?"

"I should never have told you about that. But yes. Hawke offered to come along on a few missions. And....well. I can safely say, he's more powerful than Vivienne. Perhaps even you. But it's the elf that scares me. Trust me, seeing him pull the heart out of an enemy had even Bull wincing."

"I should be offended about the "more powerful than you" bit, but I've seen him fight at Adamant. He's probably one of the strongest mages of this generation. Though he does lack finesse."

"That's the same thing Vivienne said. She was trying to hide her jealousy, however."

"So....if I decide to come visit, will I be forcibly separated from my heart?"

"No. Cullen would....Fenris was made to swear he would not harm any mages of the Inquisition. And last a checked, that includes you. Besides, Hawke likes you. He warned him about you."

"Hawke....he said that?"

"Yeah. Once his elf was out of earshot, of course.. He asked about you, where you had disappeared to. He told me it was nice to meet you. Apparently up until that point, he'd only had Fenris's view of Tevinter. And his opinion is a touch jaded."

"Well, it's.....it's not like he's completely wrong. But Danarius was....he was the perfect example to all that is wrong in Tevinter. And he was bad, even by Magisters standards. The man was a monster, through and through. I don't exactly blame Fenris or anyone who would think Tevinter as the source of all evil, if they only met him."

"You know, I've been meaning to ask....Maker this is going to be unpleasant...." he said, looking away. He freed himself from Dorian's grip, suddenly looking very nervous, combing his hair back, like he always did when faced with an uncomfortable situation.

"Fenris did...he came to talk to me, a few days after he arrived. He was.....well, he was a complete ass. And quite frankly I had half a mind to lob an antivan grenade at him. Or Sera's bees. At the time I told him he could go fuck himself for suggesting....you know what, it's not important. Forget it."

"It's about me, isn't it?"

"Yes, but....forget I said anything. I shouldn't have mentioned it."

"Given your current nervous fidgeting, it's not nothing, amatus. Just tell me. Before it eats your brain away."

He looked at him for a long moment, his expression already apologetic, even before he said anything. For a moment Dorian thought he really wasn't going to tell him. And if Fenris's personal history was anything to go by, he could already guess were this was going to end up.  
And it made him nervous. The only time Dorian and Vexeris had ever truly fought, a _I am not speaking to you anymore_ kind of fight, was on slavery. And that was before they became lovers.

"Maker, there's no easy way to ask you this. But I've seen the.....elves here and....."

"They're not slaves," he said, quickly.

"What?"

"They're not slaves. It was one of the conditions I placed on my parents, when I agreed to come back to this house. Well, legally they are. There's no law that....but they have a stipend. Better quarters than before. Proper beds and all. A free day every week. And....I've drafted a sort of chart, with rules and limits. I think they have more freedom than some servants in the south. And of course, if they want to leave, they can. I've even....whenever I have time to spare, I've tried teaching them how to write and read. Tried being the operative word. I'm not a very good teacher."

"No, I knew that. You were the talk of Orlais for weeks for that. I was....I am very proud of you for doing it. I know it earned you enemies."

"You have to be the change you want to see to the world. _You_ taught me that."

He blushed, but smiled. It never ceased to amaze him, the power he held over him. Or they both had, over each other.

"Romantic as that was, it's not what.....Fenris told me about what preferring men is like in Tevinter. About what most nobles....do, to hide it."

"Vex, if this is your roundabout way of asking if I've fucked slaves, just...."

"Yes. It is. And....Maker, I'm not sure, if I want the truth or I'd rather you lie to me."

He'd been afraid of this. It didn't take a genius, to come to this conclusion. Especially since he'd told him, Fenris was involved. It was no secret Danarius used his slaves that way. And while he wasn't by far the only one, he was known for being especially forceful.  
A few of his slaves had died, in one of his more brutal sessions.

"There's no need to lie. I haven't."

"I'm sensing a _but_ coming, love."

"I....yes, there is a _but_."

Dorian hesitated. He'd never lain with a slave, true. But.....

"When my father found out, about my preference, he bought me a....pleasure slave. From one of the brothels. He said, if I really had to give in to my _aberration_ ," he continued, nearly spitting out the word," at least I could do it, without tarnishing the Pavus name. This was all before he started trying to marry me off, mind you. Every night, he would send the slave to my rooms and every night I chased him out."

"But...?"

"Later I found out my father....punished him, for failing to......" he grimaced. Failing to what? Seduce him? Pleasure him? Allowing him to live out the lie Halward Pavus was constructing?

"So I let him stay. In my bed. Let my father believe.... But I never touched him. I think the most he once did was...I think once he gave me a blowjob. I'm not actually sure, I was very drunk. And I didn't dare ask, at the time. I was....it took me a while to accept what I was. To force it on others was....you can ask him. If you want. He's still here. He's the one keeping the library in order. He's one of the few slaves who could read, before I started to.....please say something."

"What's there to say? I love you, for being who you are? I'm so proud of you, that you went against slavery, even before you really thought about the wrongness of it all? I'm sorry for ever doubting you?"

"You're not...angry?"

"Why would I be angry, my love? You are...you are amazing," he said, his smile lighting up the room and driving away Dorian's anxiety.

"He did...I did let him.."

"Once. And I've seen you drunk, Dori. You may not remember, but I do. You practically stripped me down in front of the whole tavern, once. No self control whatsoever. I was lucky Bull's room was close and we were already on the second floor. As much as I say we don't have to hide, fucking in the middle of a tavern was not what I meant."

"You never..."

"If I told you, you would've hidden in our room for a month. And I managed to silence the others. Or well, Cassandra did. Maker knows I didn't look intimidating at the time. Do not tell Sera I told you. She has a whole list prepared to tease you with. I've seen it. I find it funny, but you don't have my crass sense of humor."

"It has more to do with me not appreciating someone making fun of _us_."

"Well, it was rather funny. After. When I finally got us to privacy. You owe Bull five royals, by the way. He said it was a crime, letting us use his bed, without him in it. So, you not having enough self control to stop someone blowing you....well, it almost sounds like he wanted to. Nothing was stopping him from refusing."

He could've told him, that refusing, for a slave was unthinkable. Or that he thought he was meant to do it. That he was continually scared of the consequences, whenever Dorian refused to lay with him. But he didn't.


	4. Chapter 4

News of his presence spread like wildfire. Dorian had expected it of course.  
As well as the seemingly never ending line of guests his mother entertained, desperate for a glimpse of Inquisitor Vexeris Trevelyan, Herald of Andraste. Most didn't manage to approach him. Cassandra's glare was usually enough to keep them at bay.  
Also he thought they were more than a little afraid of a real live southern Templar. Even if she wasn't, she still had their abilities. Or a version of it.  
But some managed to escape her furious glare. Only to end up at the receiving end of Dorian's.  
He'd never thought he'd be this protective. Nor possessive. But he was and he wasn't going to let his fellow nobles squander the limited time he had with his lover.  
So he was more than a bit surprised when Vex disappeared, only to come back a few hours later, with an announcement.

"I've just had an....odd talk, with your father."

"Has he come out of hibernation? Wonder of wonders."

His father had barely left his part of the estate in the week since Vexeris's arrival. He was only sure he was still alive, because of the servants that kept bringing him food.

"Not quite. He asked to talk to me, in private. I'm not sure what had him more surprised. That I came at all or that I was armed."

"You're always armed. Even in bed."

" _He_ doesn't know that. Anyway, he....it was...."

"Weird? Uncomfortable? Was any blood magic involved? That sums up my interactions with the man."

"Weird and uncomfortable? Immensely. But no, no blood. He asked me about you. About my....intentions."

If it could've Dorian's eyebrow would gone over his head, danced and asked _what_?  
"Do elaborate, amatus," he said instead, his voice carefully neutral.

"I think....I _think_ he just gave me his blessing. In a weird, contrived, _I'm not supposed to be fine with this_ way."

"My father? Halward Pavus? Are you sure?"

"I've been around nobles enough to read between the lines. He may not have outright said so, but..."

"You _are_ a noble. But that's beside the point. What did he say, exactly?"

"He asked me how you are. Said you two don't talk much."

Dorian scoffed. That was an understatement.

"Said he was....sorry? Disappointed?....I don't know how....I think he's angry at himself for the fact that you're closer to me, with a letter once every two weeks, than to him, living in his house."

"And it's a surprise?"

"No. But.....perhaps I was wrong. To not encourage you to talk to him, when he came at Redcliffe. I was....I saw him and thought of my own parents and....lost it. Wanted to get you out of his clutches. But he seems genuinely remorseful."

"My father is.....," he started angry. But didn't manage to finish.

"I know liars, Dorian," he said, his face hard," and he didn't seem like one."

"Perhaps. Doesn't mean I'll forgive him, for planning to fry my brain in an ill attempt at changing my mind about fucking women."

"That's not what I meant, love. Maker knows, I wouldn't forgive my mother even if she was sincere and repentant. That's not what...I don't think he wanted me to ask you that either. All I saw was a man who has realized his son is in love and wants to know who this person is."

"That is....rather hard to believe, amatus."

"I know, right? And I was there! You should have seen my face when he asked me, if I was prepared to marry you. I wish I'd had a mirror."

"What?"

"Though laughing in your father's face, wouldn't have been one of my brightest ideas. Honestly he was behaving as if I'd deflowered you and I should take responsibility. Which is absurd considering you're the first one I've ever let take me. On second thought, he definitely should not know that. That would've been the worse idea."

"My father asked......"

He must have realized what he'd said after, because he blushed, matching his hair quite closely, despite his tanned skin.

"Well, I....I'm sure he was....I'm sure it was his way of asking how serious it was. He doesn't actually expect us to...."

Dorian didn't let him finish.

"What did you say?"

"Is this _your_ roundabout way of proposing to me, love? Maker knows, it's apparently Tevinters way of asking for anything."

"And if it was?" he asked, armed with a courage he didn't know he possessed. _He brought it up, Dorian, it's only fair._ But why then, was he so terrified?

"No elegant dinner? No music and flowers? Not even a ring. Tsk tsk. For shame, Dorian."

"Would you want that?"

"A fair point," he said, one corner of his lips rising in a tentative smile. Dorian was tempted to kiss him and just let the topic die. If he was hesitating, it wasn't a good sign, was it?

"You do know we can't really.....I mean, there's no specific law that says that two men can't..... But no chantry cleric would ever......"

"Vex, if it's a no, just say so. I won't....."

"No! No, it's definitely a yes. Maker, of course it's a yes. And I'd be lying if I said I never thought about it, it's just.....finding someone willing to...perform the ceremony....I just didn't want to hope. I'm sure you can understand the sentiment."

He could. He understood perfectly. Not wanting to hope, because sometimes hope, however slim, will break you. There was a reason they said, hope dies last.

"Perhaps, then, we could...shelve this. And when I come back, we could bring it up again. Maybe ask Leliana. I mean, the Divine," he frowned," your Divine."

"Yes, that would be.....all right. I guess there's no point talking about it now."

He saw the hesitation in his eyes. He didn't really want to drop it. Vex compared him to a dog with a bone, but he was like a battering ram. Once he started something he couldn't stop. And while Dorian fixated on things, he would just mow trough them.

"At any rate, I was talking about your father, not....marriage, or the potential thereof. And...I know what you said about him. But I think he's changed. Or perhaps he realized you don't need him. That you've found your way and while it doesn't match what he hoped for you.....anyway I think, in his own way, he's proud of you."

"Now I know it's not him. Are you sure, it wasn't a demon?"

"Dorian....."

" _Get out! You're no son of mine!_ I remember it as if it were yesterday. Being in this house was a big enough concession. I won't start to believe he's somehow changed so completely."

"Dorian, do you think I would ever defend him? If I wasn't absolutely convinced?"

"He is a very good liar, amatus. Comes with the job."

"I seem to recall seeing immediately through Florianne. It's very difficult to lie to me."

"So, what? I should just...forgive? Forget he tried to...."

"No. No, never. I already told you. I just thought you'd like to know, you're not....he doesn't think of you as a disappointment. At least, not anymore."

He looked away, hiding, as usual. He didn't want to dwell on it. He spent years coming to terms with the fact he was a disappointment to his parents.

"And for what it's worth, he said he's.....glad that you're so obviously happy. With me, I mean."

"He said that? Word for word?"

"No, his exact words were something like, _I haven't seen him smile like that since he was little_."


	5. Chapter 5

It took him a few days to gather up the conviction to talk to his father. They'd barely exchanged words, aside from a few polite greetings, despite the four months he'd been living here. And with Vex, Cassandra and Sera out in the city roaming, he had time to himself.

So he found himself in front of his father's study, nervous, much like he had done many times before. Under various different circumstances.

He was debating to himself whether to knock or not, when the decision was taken out of his hands, as the door opened.

"Dorian?"

"Father," he greeted, the inevitable acid already dripping from his voice.

"I assume you're here to talk? I asked the Inquisitor not to tell you of our conversation, but if you're here...."

"You assume correctly. Are we doing this here or inside? I would prefer inside. I happen to know there's a very palatable brandy in your cupboard."

His father gave him a disapproving glance, but moved aside, allowing him to enter.

"Still have that habit of drinking before sixth bell?"

"Not a habit, no. Between traipsing around with the Inquisitor and Josephine's ban on Skyhold's cellar, I didn't have much opportunity."

A lie, of course. _Way to go, Dorian. Good start._ He'd had plenty of time to get drunk. Just not on fine drinks. But Vex had dimmed his desire for drinking, especially on his own.  
He took two glasses, pouring himself and his father a drink. He was sure he would be the only one actually drinking it, but it was his father's loss.

"I assume the Inquisitor told you all I said?"

"Not word for word. He gave me his interpretation of it. And since he's quite good at seeing through masks, I am....here."

"I have to admit, I thought you'd sooner go to your mother, than to me."

"Mother is currently attempting to sell out the Inquisitor to the highest visiting noble. She's quite busy, I'm afraid."

"Does the Inquisitor know?"

Dorian snorted. "There's very little he doesn't notice, Father."

"Does your mother know that?"

"If she hasn't, she'll figure it out. The last person who tried to use me against him, is currently poorer than a chantry mouse. He earned himself a ban from all Inquisition affiliated trade routes and merchants. So, pretty much all of southern Thedas."

"I see."

Dorian rolled his eyes," He won't ruin us, Father. He's not....that was a message, to those who thought he'd let himself be used."

"I know how the game works, Dorian," he said, a reprimand on his tongue. He thought better of it, as he didn't continue. Not that he needed to, Dorian had heard this particular lecture a hundred times.

"I admit, he's not what I thought he'd be," he said, after taking a sip from his drink. Surprisingly.

"Why? What did you think he was like?"

"With the way he looks? And that absurd name? Does he even know, what that means? Anyone else, but the Inquisitor would be...." Halward Pavus stopped, as he realized his son was snickering, his hand in his mouth trying very hard not to slip into a full blown laugh.

"What's so funny, son?"

"I simply.....Maker.....you do realize that that's not his real name, do you?"

"It's not?"

"Maker, sometimes I forget how little people know of him. Vexeris Trevelyan is, for all intent and purposes an ass. A monumental ass. That barbarian look he has, that makes even the southern masses wrinkle their noses, is deliberate. His name is deliberate. Even the way he acts, is carefully studied to annoy the most out of nobles."

"Why?" the older man asked, flabbergasted.

"Because he hates his parents. And I don't mean that as an euphemism. Real, bone deep hate. If not for his brothers, he'd have happily torn them down from their pedestal and stuffed them in a cell."

"I.....I didn't know family rivalry was so strong in the south."

"In Orlais, perhaps. In the Free marches...his is a special case. But anyway, I didn't come here to talk about the Inquisitor."

"True. But, as much as..I might not like it....he is a big part of your life."

"He is. Along with the Inquisition. Vex assures me he's stocking up my library with the rarest of books, now that he has the time to follow up on such things."

" _Your_ library?"

"Well, after Corypheus was defeated, Fiona, I mean the Grand enchanter, left, along with a lot of the mages. There was no one to supervise the Skyhold library, anymore. I....sort of took over."

"You intend to go back, then? Eventually?"

"The sooner, the better. I won't have Bull breathe on him, anymore than I have to."

His father raised an eyebrow, obviously not understanding.

"Bull is...."

"The qunari? I am aware of who he is. I'm more confused on the breathing part of that statement."

"He's guarding him. There have been....attempts."

"Is that a surprise?"

"No. It's just....that's _my_ job. It's my wards that saved him before. It's the knowledge that he wasn't alone in our quarters, that kept the assassins out of Skyhold."

He looked uncomfortable, shifting on his seat.

"I didn't realize my son was a mere guard."

Dorian scoffed. He most certainly was not.

"And I didn't realize that barely mentioning the fact that we shared quarters, would have you react like I proposed blood magic. Or did you think we were being chaste? I assure you, we are definitely not that."

His father shot him an angry look. Dorian knew he was ready to start a fight. As usual. It was a dance he knew all too well. He goaded him, he offended him, until his father snapped and chased him out. Dorian would then go back to drinking. Preferably ending the night in someone's bed.

"Dorian, you once told me, you would've rather been born in another family. That you'd rather have a father, than a magister who gave you every luxury. I am trying to be a father. I am trying to accept you, as you are. But, you also know that it is difficult. You could at least meet me halfway."

"I won't hide what I am, Father. I am proud of who I am. Immensely so, when I think about my relationship with the Inquisitor."

"I'm not asking that. All I...I'm sure there's no father out there, who wants to know what his child does in the bedroom."

Dorian gave him a long look and for the first time in his life, gave ground to Halward Pavus.

"Fair enough. I can....avoid mentioning it. So long as we are clear, this, _he_ , isn't going away."

"Yes. I am...aware of that."

His father took a long sip of his drink, nearly finishing it, before he talked again. Dorian couldn't remember the last time he'd seen his father drink.

"For what's it worth. If it has to be a man, he's...he seems like quite the character."

"I'm sure it doesn't hurt that he's Inquisitor, does it?"

"No, that's not....he seems like a good man. Surprisingly knowledgeable. Though how he commands the loyalty of such a disparate group of people, I'll never know."

"I take it you've met Sera."

"The elven archer? Yes. I've found her roaming around the estate, putting dead animals everywhere."

Dorian couldn't help the snicker. Of course she did.

"Trust me. She's done worse. Once she put an entire beehive into one of the training dummies. The Commander was beside himself with anger. No one knows how she did it. Vex has been trying to recreate that for ages. If only out of sheer curiosity."

"If you know that's not his real name, why do you still call him....that? He has to know it's an insult."

"He knows. He chose it precisely because it's a Tevene insult. And while I do know his given name, I've been sworn to secrecy."

The man sighted, pinching his forehead between his eyes. A habit, when he was developing a headache. In the past it had been Dorian's sign, he was about to land himself a shouting match. Now, he simply sat back, seemingly relaxing on his chair.

"You know, you could tell your.....lover, to stop walking around in full armor. It's making the servants nervous. Half of them think he's going to attack them. And the other half is too scared to even mention it."

"It's....I can't. He's a bit paranoid. It took him months to go around Skyhold without his dual daggers, despite Josephine's....the ambassador, protests. Trust me, if she couldn't force him, I sure can't."

"Paranoid? Does he get attacked often?"

"No. Well, yes. Outside of Skyhold. When he's looking for trouble. But it's....a remnant of.....look Father, I can't....this is private."

"Another Inquisition secret you can't talk about?"

"No. This is...it has nothing to do with the Inquisition. Can you please drop it?"

He saw him relenting and Dorian released a breath. This wasn't something he would tell him. Or anyone.

"I do have a question, Dorian. Are you..sure? About him?"

Dorian glared at him, opening his mouth, a barbed comment ready, when his father raised his hand, trying to stop him.

"I'm not asking as...just forget everything else for a moment, son. He's of the soporati. He'll never be able to...."

"Ha! You are.....Maker.....you sound just like Vex."

"What?"

"He's asked me that. If I'd rather be with a mage. Forgetting the part where he'd have been locked up. That a noble mage, without the protection of his family gets an even worse treatment, just out of spite. Forgetting the fact that.....those southern Templars would've....no. I would never wish him to have magic, father. You haven't been to south. I have. And I've not just heard rumors of abuses. I had a castle full of people who suffered through them."

"I....see, I'm sorry for bringing it up. It's....obviously a sore subject."

Yes, it definitely was. The man had latent magic. Just a drop more, just one more spark, enough to cast the tiniest flame and he would've been a mage. A weak one. Probably too weak to survive the Harrowing. He would've been made Tranquil. He'd just be another empty body, walking around, abused by both Templars and mages, unable to fight back.

Dorian swallowed, willing away the bile rising from his throat. _Get a grip, Pavus. You know it's never healthy to start thinking about what ifs._

"Besides, Father, you haven't seen him fight, with those big daggers of his. It's....mesmerizing."

He looked uncomfortable, but Dorian shook his head.

"I don't mean it in a.....not like that. It's a dance. A lethal, blindingly fast dance. I assure you, it's quite the sight. The soldiers in Skyhold all flock like mice in good cheese, whenever he's in the training ring."

"I did hear rumors. He was.....he was trained as a thief?"

"As a rogue. There's a difference. Trust me, I got backhanded enough times about that."

"What's the difference?"

"Rogues get offended when you compare them to thieves. But, it's mostly all about the intention. Just because they are capable of stealing, doesn't mean they're doing it."

They continued talking for a few hours. It was the most he'd talked with his father ever since he could remember. And it did not end in a shouting match, which was also a first.  
What surprised Dorian the most was however Halward's last request for the day.  
He knew the Inquisitor would depart the next day, taking Dorian with him to Minrathous. He asked to come along.


	6. Chapter 6

"He's crazy. He's absolutely crazy."

Dorian Pavus, Altus of the Tevinter Imperium couldn't help but laugh, completely unrestrained, at his father's shock.

Not only had Halward Pavus accompanied them to Minrathous, but he'd offered his aid in battling the demons around the rifts the Inquisitor had been asked to close, something his son had initially shot down. His father wasn't a fighter, he was a scholar. A Magister like him rarely saw proper open combat.

Vex had pointed out that Dorian knew nothing of fighting for extended periods of time, when he started dragging him all over Thedas. And he preferred his father, than the sleazy looking Magister the Archon had selected to fight alongside them on their mission.

Halward had been completely stoic during their travel, surprisingly not turning his nose at the Inquisitor's refusal to use a carriage, mounting instead on his horse, a gift from the Avvar, that Cullen had the foresight to bring along.

That is until he saw the rogue fight. Or more specific until Vex set himself on fire with one of his flasks.

"You get used to it," Dorian said, still snickering.

Truthfully the first time Vex had done this, he'd had a much worse reaction, actually yelling at Solas, because he thought he was the one that did it. Which was absurd in retrospect, because the elf didn't use fire.

He was glad his father wasn't commenting on his magic, how from more complicated and refined spells, in the years beside the Inquisitor he'd adopted a more practical style, faster and simpler spells, because in combat that was what was needed. Or how his barrier always went to Vex first, then to himself. A risk, he knew, but he'd seen the man get injured too many times and he was past caring what anyone thought.

"You really love him, do you?"

The question took him by surprise, making him falter, the spell he was weaving dying in his hands. He quickly recovered, casting the fire spell to the demon that was harassing Sera, before turning to his father, ready to bite.

What he saw stopped him. It wasn't an accusation. It wasn't even a proper question. It was as if his father had just realized it. Realized the full extent of his relationship, despite him saying so many times.

And there wasn't anger on his face. Or disgust, nor a grimace. Instead there was a softness he had not seen in many years, not since he was a child, getting ready for the Circle.

"Yes. Though I fail to see why you choose to bring it up now," he said, concentrating on another spell, having to pay attention not to hit Cassandra.

"I've watched you, these past few days. It's the reason I came."

"Again, now is really not an appropriate time," he hissed, throwing a barrier on Vex, before the other one had even expired.

"This morning you took the horse right next to him, ahead of the convoy without a second thought, when the politically correct choice should've been the Commander of his army. You chatted with him, too close to ever be called a respectful distance, for the three hours of travel, trough Minrathous even. You realize everyone in the Imperium will know that the rumors are true by this evening?"

"So?"

"You know it will raise questions, Dorian. They'll accuse you of wanting to reform Tevinter in the Inquisitions name. That is if they don't outright accuse you of spying. Or treason. They'll want to know just how close you are to him."

"For one, the Archon won't risk the ire of the Inquisition. I have spies following me everywhere and he probably knows it. If they so much as touch me, Vex will attack Tevinter and he made his ambassador send a warning. And if they attack us, I'll bet you the finest crate of wine available on the market, the other southern kingdoms will follow suit."

"You think they'd follow him, even when he attacks Tevinter out of revenge?"

"No. I think they'll follow the man that saved them and they consider Andraste's second coming against a nation most people hate."

"You thought of everything did you?"

"Vex would've never let me go otherwise."

"I find it hard to believe you'd let him dictate your life. Maker knows I've tried and failed."

"It's _different_. _You_ tried to change me. He would've sent them all to the Void and followed me here to protect me himself. He would've never actually stopped me from leaving. Is there a reason for this line of questioning?"

The older mage frowned, shaking his head, but he was still carrying that softness that kept Dorian's biting wit at bay.

"I know you, son. More than you like to think. I thought he was another one of your passing dalliances, at first. Your mother's convinced you bedded your way to power. When you came back and refused to let him go, I thought you naive, still dreaming of love and happy endings."

"Is there a point, in there, somewhere, father?" he hissed. If his fireballs were starting to get bigger from the anger, nobody had, hopefully, noticed. Yet.

"You're proud of him," he said, stopping casting for a moment, turning to look Dorian in the eyes," you _want_ him to have success, to win. There's no trace of jealousy or envy. That's....that is truly a rare thing."

"In Tevinter, perhaps," he mumbled, feeling uncomfortable. Was this what Vex had meant, when he said his father was trying to give him his blessing? Or as close as he could ever get.

"Your mother and I will try for another child. When the time comes, I'll need to name it the heir of the House. Are you prepared to give that up? For him?"

"Yes," he said, without hesitation. Was he really.....was he really setting him free from the demands of the Tevinter noble house?

"I won't disown you, Dorian, but you know it means you won't have access to the majority of the family fortune, right?"

He simply shrugged, not caring in the slightest.

"He.... _we_ agreed to talk about marriage..when I go back. Are _you_ prepared for _that_?"

"Is that even possible?"

"Well, no, technically. But Lel....the Divine....the white Divine I mean....she's a friend."

Halward tilted his head, nodding slightly. He seemed thoughtful and after a while Dorian thought it was over.

"Remember the scene from this morning? There's something else. The Commander gave up his spot by the Inquisitor's side without batting an eye. It was as if he expected it. I am....glad you found them. Somewhere you belong."


End file.
